


Bucky Burns

by BlueClue182



Series: Tumblr Fluff [1]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types
Genre: Fluff, Gay, M/M, Self-Discovery, Sexuality, Tiny Steve, a slow burn, but in the cutest little way, kids who refuse to follow the rules, pun intended, the one with the sunscreen, the start of something new, well okay it's just bucky
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-08-21
Updated: 2014-08-21
Packaged: 2018-02-14 02:38:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2174982
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlueClue182/pseuds/BlueClue182
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>So I found this list of fluff prompts on tumblr and started a series for my buddy/mama/skype-mate Hannah and this tumbled out of control RULL fast so here's part one.<br/>The series starts with tiny Steve discovering his feelings for his bestest buddy Bucky, and continues on to post CA:TWS.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Bucky Burns

**Author's Note:**

> Prompts From THIS POST: http://permets-tu.tumblr.com/post/95138397281/josephjtoye-you-could-be-sad-about-your-otp-but
> 
> This hasn't been beta-ed, and I wrote it between midnight and 4am, so...please let me know if you catch anything that needs fixing. ^-^
> 
> find me on tumblr: writingdino.tumblr.com

They climbed the stairs back to their apartment. For once, Steve was ahead—even with his short breaths and frequent stops. Bucky couldn’t make it more than a step or two without wincing and trying to readjust some article of clothing or another. They only had to get up four flights, but it took them close to twenty minutes between Steve stopping to catch his breath and Bucky whining about how bad everything hurt…about halfway through the climb Bucky gave up and took off his shirt and shoes, stuffing his socks into them so that he was only wearing his swim trunks.  
“C’mon, Buck. That’s not—” Steve started to protest, before Bucky shot him a look that forced him to swallow the rest of the sentence. Steve made his way up the rest of the steps without a peep, as Bucky huffed and puffed on every other step. They finally made it to the door of their apartment, where Steve took his time digging through his pockets for his key and unlocking the door. He held the door open for Bucky, who staggered his way over the threshold and sat down gingerly at the very edge of their couch.  
Steve heard his name squeaked out, and turned to find his best friend staring pathetically and making the grumpiest face he’d seen on him in years. “Yes, Bucky?” Steve leaned back on the kitchen counter in response.  
“Could ya maybe…do we have any…”  
“Any what?”  
“That green stuff ya ma used ta have?”  
“Aloe?”  
“Yeah.”  
“Of course we do.” Steve didn’t move to get any. Bucky had sworn that morning that he didn’t need sunscreen. He was going to get tan and look like the guy in the magazine they had seen the day before. Steve offered him the lotion once when they first arrived at the beach, then again when they went to grab corn dogs, then, finally, once more when they decided to walk along the pier. Bucky staunchly refused every offer, insisting that that stuff was for sissies and jeez Steve could use a little color on his skin and how did Steve ever expect to pick up girls if he was so pasty white they couldn’t even see him?  
So no, Steve was not making a particular effort to help Bucky on this one. “What did you wanna know for, Buck?”  
“This joker…For rubbin’ on my back. It helps with burns, right?”  
“Oh, you got burned?”  
“Jesus, Steve can ya help a guy out?”  
“You weren’t gonna get burned today. You were gonna get toasted bronze and all the little ladies were gonna be chasin’ you dooooown the street. So if you didn’t get burned, what do ya need the aloe for?” Bucky pulled his brows together and deepened his frown. Steve crossed his arms and smiled.  
“Well CLEARLY things did not go to plan, Steven.” Bucky over-pronounced each word.  
“Ah. Intrestin. So you would say I was—”  
“Stevie. It hurts so much, can you please get the aloe for me?”  
“Not until ya say it.”  
“Say WHAT?”  
“You know what.”  
Bucky went to cross his arms, but flinched with the pain it caused and instead rested his hands on his knees. Steve took one step towards their medicine cabinet. “youmightabeenrightaboutthesunscreen” Bucky mumbled it under his breath.  
“Whassat, Buck?”  
“I said. You mighta been right. About the sunscreen.”  
Steve took another step. “And what’re ya gonna do next time?”  
“I’mma beat your hide soon as I’m better is what I’m gonna do.”  
Steve took a step backwards. “Come again?”  
Bucky took a deep breath. “You were right about the sunscreen. I shoulda worn sunscreen and now I’m burned to a crisp, okay? Now can ya please get some aloe for me?” Steve was already at the cabinet pulling out the jar of aloe vera gel that his mother had insisted he have stocked at all times. He brought it over to the couch, where he climbed behind Bucky and sat with one leg on either side of him. “Careful.”  
“Uh huh.” Steve unscrewed the top of the jar and balanced it upside down on the arm of the couch. He dipped four of his right fingers in and took out a generous amount of aloe, spreading it carefully from one of Bucky’s shoulders straight across his neck to the other. “It’s a little—”  
“AHHHH COLDCOLDCOLD” Bucky started  
“Yep. It’s that. But it’s gonna chill the burn so hold still.” Steve took another generous dollop out with his left hand and dragged it down Bucky’s spine. Bucky flinched at the cold sensation, but much less this time. “I told ya this morning.”  
“Yeah yeah. I get it Steve.”  
“Whole thing coulda been avoided is all I’m sayin’.” Steve drew circles over each of Bucky’s shoulders with his thumbs, massaging the gel into his bright red skin.  
Bucky snorted. “The guy in the magazine didn’t say nothin’ about a burn.”  
“Oh so now I gotta be in a magazine for ya to listen to me?”  
“Wouldn’t hurt.”  
Steve pinched the bit of skin at the nape of Bucky’s neck, just below his hairline. “OW!” Steve laughed a little at the pathetic noise Bucky had made.  
“s’not my fault.”  
“Uh huh, it never is.” Steve continued the massage to Bucky’s back, dipping below his shoulder blades. They sat with a comfortable quiet between them as Steve carefully applied the gel, assuring every last inch of his best friends skin found some kind of relief. “What were you gonna do with a girl if she noticed you anyhow?”  
Bucky sighed at the question. “Hell if I know.” They laughed together at the admission. “That…feels nice, Stevie.” Bucky leaned back ever so slightly. Steve’s fingers had found their way to the middle of Bucky’s back, where he was perhaps over-applying the aloe. “Sorry I didn’t listen.”  
“There we go.” Steve wiped the excess from the top of Bucky’s shoulders down to the waistline of his shorts. “That’s all I needed to hear, kid.”  
“Yeah yeah.”  
“You’re all set back here. Turn around for me.” Steve scooted to the back of the couch, and Bucky hopped down to the floor where he kneeled between Steve’s legs. Steve felt something drop to the bottom of his stomach, but he took a deep breath and steadied his thoughts. “uhm. Wow. You really look like a lobster.”  
“Shove it.” Bucky was smiling, though, even as he pushed Steve’s knees. Steve reached out to smear some aloe over Bucky’s nose and cheeks, now sprinkled with the faintest of freckles. He rubbed the gel into Bucky’s temples, where there wasn’t even a burn, but Bucky still closed his eyes and hummed at the touch. Steve noticed that the grip on his knees tightened a little. He took some more aloe and rubbed it at the base of Bucky’s neck, where he paused and pulled his hands away. Bucky opened his eyes. “What? My chest is all burned too!”  
“You can do the rest, I think. You’re fine.” Steve could feel a burn of his own forming at the tips of his ears, and knew if he were as scantily clad as Bucky, the bloom of red across his chest would be all too obvious. He wiped his hands on his swim shorts, and stood.  
“But Stevie!”  
“Come on, Buck. I’m tired. Need to take a nap.” He felt that weight in his stomach grow somehow heavier.  
“Bu—” Steve handed Bucky the jar of aloe.  
“Just rub it on your chest, in circles, and don’t lean on anything til it dries, okay?” He knew he was done for if he didn’t get away, hide in their room until he could sweep the feelings that were welling up underneath something else in his mind. He thanked whatever force was watching over him when he made it all the way to his room without another protest out of Bucky. Once he was alone, he climbed into his bed without bothering to change and pulled his quilt over his head. He fell asleep promising himself he wouldn’t cry.


End file.
